Designing facilities that support efficient and sustainable operations

Durham Water Mist Lake Facility Expansion

The City of Durham Department of Water Management (DWM) needed to improve the efficiency of their operations. They reached out to our architecture team to design new facilities to support this goal at their Mist Lake campus.

We examined ways to optimize the site, addressing functionality, grading, and current conditions. Our resulting design maximizes opportunities for sustainability and water balance throughout the site, buildings, and in the function of DWM. Drawing upon DWM’s principles, the facilities will showcase water conservation and stewardship through education and visibility of water-conservation systems. These include Water Sense fixtures, xeriscaping (replacing grass lawns with materials more tolerant or resistant to drought), and reuse of reclaimed water wherever practical.

When finished, the Mist Lake facilities will house administration, operations, vehicle maintenance, a vehicle wash, and supporting structures for DWM operations. By combining all of divisions onto one site and operating out of the same buildings, DWM will optimize efficiency, resources, and collaboration.